Hair curler



Sept. 12, 1961 M.RUSSELL HAIR CURLER Filed Aug. 20, 1958 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,999,504 HAIR CURLER Monica Russell, 220 Mansion Road, Walliugfcrd, Conn. Filed Aug. 20, 1958, Ser. No. 756,209 3 Claims. (Cl'. 132-41) This invention relates to a device; for use in forming what is generally known, as pincurls. More particularly applicant contemplates the provision of a flexible device having adjustable securing means upon which a pincurl may be formed and which, via the adjustable Securing means, may be readily fastened to securely hold a newly formed pincurl in position.

The curlers of this general type previously known and utilized have comprised, at least in part, rigid parts which make them uncomfortable to wear, particularly if the user desires to retire with the curlers on her head. Further, devices of this general type have provided unsatisfactory securing means in that the means for holding a wisp or strand of hair on the curler have not been readily securable and have not provided any adjustments to permit tight securing of a strand regardless of the thickness of the particular strand being curled.

It is an object of this invention to provide a haircurler having resilient adjustable securing means.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a curler which is readily flexible and which will lie fiat on the users head.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a curler of the above type which presents a uniform circular base core portion about which a curl may be formed.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a hair curler of the above general type which is formed to provide adjustable securing means which may be readily fastened via a snap type action.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a hair curler which is of simple, rugged construction which may be economically produced.

In the accompanying drawings which are illustrative of two embodiments of my invention:

FIG. 1 represents several curlers typical of this invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hair curler embodying this invention;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of one of the curlers in use as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view along a line corresponding to line 44 in FIG. 2 showing the securing means of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of applicants invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional View, in elevation, of the curler shown in FIG. 5 representing a disassembled and assembled relationship.

Referring now to the figures of the drawings, 1 represents a base member of generally annular configuration, which is preferably fiat, relatively thin, and formed of a flexible material. The axial opening through the annular body member is indicated at 2. Secured to the base member as by unitary molding, around the periphery of the axial opening, are a plurality of fingers, tie-downs or adjusting members 3. These fingers are preferably also of a thin, flat, flexible nature and are preferably of substantial width along the edge of securing to the base member and of a substantial length for the purposes to be subsequently described. Secured to the base member around the outer periphery thereof are a plurality of male snap heads, securing members, or snap members 4 which are located and designed to provide cooperative securing means for the fingers 3. The body member is further formed with a radial passage 6 which extends from the axial opening 2, between two adjacent fingers, 3 3", to

the outer periphery-1 of the base; member to provide an access passage. from the exterior of; the. base member to the axial opening therein. The, body of the base member 1, in the area between the inner and outer peripheries thereof, may be formed. with. a plurality of ventilating holes 8 which may be of any desired form and disposition to provide a maximum amount of air circulation to and through the hair comprising a curl formed on. the curler.

The fingers 3 are of a generally ladder type configuration in that they are formed with a plurality of openings 11 disposed along the major length of the finger member. These openings arev preferably closely spaced to leave a relatively narrow resilient strip as at 12; separating adjacent openings. The proper dimensions of the openings 11 should be determined in relation. to the dimensions of the male snap members 4 for reasons. to be later expounded. The base portion of the. fingers 3, that is, adjacent the line of securement to. the. base member 1, may have a substantially larger opening therethrough as at 13 to provide more efiicient air passage through they curl structure. The transverse side along which the curler 3 is secured to the base member 1 may thus nearly approach being only two legs. as at 14. and 15. Whether or not the opening 13 is provided, the line of securement of the transverse side of the leg 3 to the base 1, along the periphery of opening 2, should conform to the curvature of the opening 2 thus providing a basically circular core around which astrand of hair may be wound, or as in the case of the large openings. 13, providing a polygon having a number of sides equal to twice: the number of the fingers 3 provided.

The male snap members 4 are secured to the outer periphery of the base member 1 as by unitary moldingtherewith. The members 4 are disposed in radial alignment with the fingers 3 whereby a male member is in cooperative opposed relation with each of said fingers across the radial width of the base member 1. These male snap members 4' are preferably formed with a relatively thin throat section 20 and a tapered thickened end portion 21. As previously noted, the dimensions of the thickened portions of the male members should bear a. relation to the dimensions of the openings. 11 wherein the cooperating dimension of the male member 4 is slightly larger than the respective. dimension of an opening 11. Thus, to secure the outer end; of one of the fingers 3, it will only be necessary to bring one of the openings 11 into cooperative alignment with the male member 4 and thence to force the finger 3 downward to cause fiexure of the parts defining the opening 11 whereby the finger 3 snaps over the male member 4 and the opening 11 engages the narrowed neck portion 20. The thickened or hook type portion 21 will thence resist removal of the finger 3 from its secured position. The tapered end of the male member 4 causes the member to act as its own guide during the snapping operation and permits easy connection of the two parts.

The device disclosed in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 is substantially similar to the device previously explained in regard to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 except that the fingers 3a and the base 1a are herein separately formed. The base 1a is formed with additional slots 9 disposed adjacent the inner periphery of the base member 1a and the additional slots are of a size and dimension to receive the fingers 3a in a snug fit. These slots may be provided with an enlarged tapered portion 9a on the lower side thereof to receive an enlarged portion of the fingers 3a. The fingers 3a of this embodiment are of substantially the same configuration as those disclosed in the earlier described ernbodiment except that they are separately formed with an enlarged portion 9b of a size and configuration conforming to the slots 9a to provide seating engagement when the fingers are drawn into the slots 9. In this embodiment the fingers and the base member may be separately made out of flat stock material as by stamping and thence assembled in the manner represented in FIG. 6. After assembly this device is utilized in the same manner as the device of FIGS. 2 through 4.

To utilize the device of applicants invention, the user segregates a strand or wisp of hair from which she desires to form a curl and places a curler, in the open state disclosed in FIG. 2 or 5, upon her head with the underside of base member 1, 1a against her scalp. By bringing the radial passage 6 into registration with the base of the selected strand of hair, the curler may be slid into position with the strand passing upward through axial opening 2. The user then causes this strand'of hair to pass between two adjacent fingers as at 30 in FIG. 3 (the selected passage being other than the passage corresponding to opening 6) and the strand is then wrapped in one direction about the outer side of the base portions of the fingers 3 as at 31, 32, and 33 in FIG. 3. After the entire strand of hair is so wound around the fingers 3, the various fingers are bent down as from position 49 in FIG. 4 to position 41 to snugly engage the roll or curl of hair. The fingers 3, through registration of the openings 11 with the snap members 4, are forced over the cooperating snap members 4 to retain the fingers 3 in this securing position. It must be noted that regardless of the size of the strand of hair involved, a snug engagement may be obtained due to the adjustable nature of the securing means.

I In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the operation is the same as it is above described; however, in this instance the base member 1a may be made of a different material than the flexible fingers 3a and thus may be made of metal, heavier plastic or the like.

The preferable flexible nature of the entire structure, particularly the finger members 3, permits the disclosed operation as well as providing a unit which will lie flat against the wearers head and will not be uncomfortable should the wearer desire to retire with the curlers in place. Applicant has found that any one of the neutral readily flexible plastics or rubber like materials may be utilized for the flexible parts of this curler. Due regard must of course be given to the fact that the users hair will often contain one of the several hair setting compounds available on the market.

The type of openings and securing means disclosed are intended to be only examples. The openings in the fingers 3 may also be circular, slits, longitudinal slots or any other shape so long as the cooperating male 2,999,504 m e r I,

member 4 is shaped and sized to provide a snap action fit.

While the invention has been described in connection with different embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invent-ionpertains, and as maybe applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of the invention or:

the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1. An adjustable one-piece hair curler for varying size curls which is adapted to lie fiat on the head, comprising a thin disc-like base member with a central opening therethrough and a slot extending from the periphery of the base member to said opening, said base member having a plurality of spaced, thin plastic elongated resilient fingers secured thereto adjacent the periphery of said opening and about said opening and extending axially of said base member, said spaced fingers thereby (forming a spindle portion of the hair curler around which hair strands may be wound, said fingers being sufiiciently resilient to permit them to be bent outwardly over hair wound around them adjacent the base member, a hair fastening tab member for each finger which is integral with the outer periphery of the base member and is located radially otuward from its matching finger, a [plurality of openings longitudinally spaced in said fingers each of which is adapted to coact with said tabs topro- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,619,095 Forcey Nov. 25, 1952 2,776,666 Papandrea Jan. 8, 1957 2,871,866 Papandrea Feb. 3, 1959 2,910,989 Russell Nov. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 747,495 Great Britain Apr. 4, 1956 

